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WORLD NEWS Tuesday 27 OcTOber 2020
Low expectations in Mexico as U.S. election approaches

By CHRISTOPHER SHERMAN House.
Associated Press López Obrador has
MEXICO CITY (AP) — A seemed to work so hard to
week before U.S. elections, build rapport with Trump
expectations and attention that some Mexicans specu-
are unusually low in a for- late he may secretly hope
eign country that may have for Trump's re-election.
more at stake than any oth- López Obrador, however,
er. Many Mexicans would has been careful to stay
be glad to see a more out of the U.S. race. When
neighborly president who the Mexican leader took
hasn't called Mexicans rap- office two years ago, ana-
ists or threatened to build a lysts predicted fireworks
wall against them, but the between the two strong
relationship has survived a personalities. But that never
Donald Trump presidency, happened.
so there's a feeling it can Mariana Aparicio Ramirez,
handle any outcome. coordinator of the Bination-
In the streets, few can al Mexico-United States Re-
name Democratic candi- lationship Observatory at
date Joe Biden, but there's Mexico's National Autono-
a general sense that Mexi- mous University, suggest-
cans are ready to take their ed a more concrete rea-
chances with someone In this June 23, 2020, file photo, President Donald Trump tours a section of the border wall in San son López Obrador might
other than Trump. Luis, Ariz. Associated Press be uncomfortable with a
"No Mexican, no human Democratic administration:
being likes to be called ing the pandemic, the done will be different." That Free Trade Agreement with "The issue of environmen-
a rapist, a thief, told that economy is forecast to might even complicate Mexico and Canada was tal policy is something that
you're not liked," said Ana shrink 10% this year, vio- things for Mexico President a bad deal and promised could absolutely be ques-
Vanessa Cárdenas Zanat- lence remains beyond the Andrés Manuel López Ob- to get a new one. He did, tioned."
ta, a political science pro- government's control and rador, depriving him of a signing the U.S.-Mexico- López Obrador has in-
fessor at Monterrey Tech- COVID-19 infections are bully to blame for an immi- Canada Trade Agreement vested in propping up
nological and Anahuac climbing again.Regardless gration policy tougher than this year. Mexico's heavily indebted
universities in Mexico City. of whether Trump or Biden the one he promised. López Obrador's hopes of state-owned oil company
"The least that any human wins, immigration, security Mexico's violence contin- dragging Mexico out of and his administration has
being, and the Mexicans and trade are expected ues to confound López Ob- recession depend in large shown disdain for renew-
in this bilateral relationship, to dominate the historically rador's administration. The part on a quick recovery able energy projects. It's
can hope for is respect." unbalanced relationship. pace of murders has sta- by the U.S. economy. With currently building a new oil
Respect can be especially On immigration, there bilized, but the toll remains that in mind, he made the refinery that many experts
important when roughly is skepticism that much high. The National Guard, first foreign trip of his presi- question.
three-quarters of a coun- would change. the new security force that dency to Washington, visit- But a Biden administration
try's exports go to the Unit- Trump made Mexico an he promised would help ing Trump in July. The deal could offer more welcome
ed States and hundreds of immigration waiting room turn the tide, was initially di- was already signed, so positions on some of Mexi-
millions of people cross the for the U.S. and some say verted in part to deal with there was little reason to co's top priorities.
border in both directions effectively pushed the migrants and has been un- travel during the pandemic Mexico's Foreign Affairs
yearly for work, shopping, U.S. frontier south for immi- able to significantly reduce other than to bolster the Secretary Marcelo Ebrard
family visits or vacations. grants. Thousands of asy- violence between battling unexpectedly friendly rela- says he wants U.S. authori-
In a Trump administration lum seekers were forced to drug cartels. tionship between the two ties to take the illegal guns
marked by unpredictabil- wait out their cases in Mexi- The persistent violence is a populist leaders from oppo- smuggled into Mexico as
ity that has left allies reel- can border cities before concern to U.S. authorities, site ends of the ideological seriously as the U.S. wants
ing, Mexico has been one the pandemic allowed the both for its ties to drug traf- spectrum. Mexico to handle drugs
country that has been U.S. to effectively suspend ficking and as a potential The trip did rankle Demo- flowing north. Biden has
able to carve out a fairly its asylum system at the driver of immigration. Mex- cratic lawmakers however, proposed investing more
predictable, if sometimes border. ico might expect greater because Mexico declined in technology at border
pressured, relationship with Through the threat of tariffs recognition of shared re- invitations to meet with crossings that could detect
Trump. For example, when on Mexican imports, Trump sponsibility from a Biden ad- House Speaker Nancy Pe- drugs, guns and people.
Mexico was on the brink of got the Mexican govern- ministration, but Mexico's losi and other Democrats Mexico is also concerned
defaulting on treaty obliga- ment to act more aggres- own security strategy has who had helped get the about more than 4 million
tions governing water-shar- sively toward migrants been difficult to decipher. trade deal through Con- of its citizens living in the
ing this month, the Trump crossing its territory. Early "It's putting Mexico at a gress. United States without legal
administration provided a this year, Mexico's National more vulnerable position "We saw it as very odd status. The Trump admin-
graceful exit. Guard and immigration than otherwise had (López that they weren't going to istration has focused on
Trump so far hasn't targeted agents broke up a migrant Obrador) actually taken reach out to the speaker deporting undocumented
Mexico in his campaign like caravan near the Guate- more of a concerted, or- of the House," especially immigrants and narrow-
he did the first time around. mala border before it gath- ganized line about security since Democrats had been ing the path to legal entry.
The pandemic and the ered any steam. in Mexico," said Gladys Mc- defending Mexico against Biden has said he would
economic crisis it sparked "If Biden makes it, I believe Cormick, a history professor Trump's attacks, said Texas continue to let immigrants
have overtaken all other is- there will continue to be at Syracuse University spe- Democratic Congressman who were brought to the
sues — on both sides of the great pressure to stop the cializing in the U.S.-Mexico Henry Cuellar, who remind- U.S. illegally as children
border. migrant caravans," Cárde- relationship. ed Mexican officials then stay and has talked about
Mexico has lost at least nas said. "But I think the nu- In his first campaign, Trump that the Democrats could opening a path to citizen-
1 million formal jobs dur- ance, the tone in which its said the North American soon be back in the White ship for others.q